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Home , Battle of Worcester, Edward Massey, Nathaniel Stephens, Siege of Gloucester, Thomas Pride

Reprinted from History N0. 7 (1993) pages 4-7

GLOUCESTERSHIRE By Russell Howes

The people of Gloucestershire were divided in the civil war of themselves at vast expense. However the story goes that Cromwell the seventeenth century, some being for the king, and some for and Ireton visited Chavenage, and persuaded Stephens to support parliament. Each county and borough returned two members to the setting up of a court to try the king. Charles I was executed in parliament, and in Gloucestershire. as in some other counties, one 1649, though Stephens was not a member of the court. The story was a royalist. and the other a parliamentarian. The parliamentarian continues that, soon after the execution, Stephens died, and his was , who had houses at Eastington and shade departed in a carriage driven by a headless man in royal Chavenage. At the first election of 1640 he was suddenly set up livery. However he was alive in 1660, when he was named a commissioner for the , and a tablet in Eastington church i '. indicates that he died that year. Q :13. . Two cousins of Nathaniel were in parliament. Edward

Q '.\l-' Stephens of Little Sodbury was member for . He opposed the trial of Charles I, and published A Letter ofAdvice to

J ‘II Qag] 5 N ' " “" g Sir Thomas Faitfax, imploring him to save the nation from 7 #431 | 14,.-. murdering the king. He helped to bring about the in 7-»-I" __ 7 . T‘ “'3 .21 _*- \-w-Q " -_ *5-‘ 1- 1660; as ‘old Mr. Stevens’ he said in parliament that the nation 7 _,-ii‘; F .v-1.... would never be happy until sun, moon and stars were set in their proper orbits, that is, king, lords and commons (2). John Stephens, Edward’s brother, suffered damage in the war, when royalists under Sir Jacob Astley burnt his house at Over Lypiatt. John Stephens became second member of parliament for Tewkesbury. He sat on the committee for compounding, which exacted fines from royalists; the committee awarded him lands belonging to Astley to compensate for his loss at Lypiatt. 1 '-~¢uun|I!r' " " The city of , like the county, had two members of Charenage. the home ofNathaniel Stephens. parliament of different views. Thomas Pury - the one who con- cerns us here - an alderman of the city, was a zealous parlia- as a candidate, to the disgust ofJohn Dutton. elected as a royal- mentarian and puritan. He wore his hat in church, as quakers did ist member, who declared that he would never more trust any man later. He supported the abolition of deans and chapters, claiming who wore his hair shorter than his ears (1). Unsuccessful at his first that the dean and chapter of Gloucester owned one third of the attempt, Stephens was elected later in 1640, and sat as a member houses in the city, but did not relieve the poor, or amend highways, of the . During the he was and actually hindered preaching (3). He gave evidence against instructed by the house of commons to write to the citizens, urging William Laud at the archbishop’s trial. them to hold out. Pury’s son, also Thomas, exhibited the more useful side of At the end of the war parliamentarians disagreed about how puritanism. Gloucester city council had requested parliament for to deal with the king. Nathaniel Stephens was for making terms: the chapter house to be a public library (4). It was granted; and the he implored parliament to make yet another application to the king, younger Pury undertook its fitting out, and gave money and books. or it would be said that parliament kept up the army to maintain lt is now the cathedral library. After deans and chapters were

4 abolished he leased the deanery (now Church House) and also ‘the Denis Wise, mayor during the year of the siege, was a captain old school house‘, which contained what is now called the par- of the city trained band. He had charge of a store of arms at the liament room. After the restoration the elder Pury moved to Tolsey; a list of I644 recorded its contents as including 40 halberds London, and resigned as alderman before the Corporation Act and I20 of musket furniture and barrels without stocks. During the purged town councils. The younger Pury retired to Taynton, where protectorate, when Cromwell granted the cathedral to the mayor his tomb may be seen. and burgesses, Denis Wise was appointed treasurer of the repair fund (9). It is not surprising that this active parliamentarian was removed from the council by the corporation act in I662. Tobias Jordan, another member of the city council, was one of those citizens with ‘lean, pale, sharp and bad visages’ (as de- scribed by the historian Clarendon), who brought the defiant answer to the king’s summons before the siege. He was a book- seller and stationer, and supplied the soldiers with the paper they needed for cartridges (I0). He was mayor during the restoration year, and his name is on the maces and sword of state still in use. He was removed from the council by the Corporation Act, but not until 1663.

THE STAND OF SOME COUNTY GENTLEMEN Country gentlemen were not all on the side of the king, as the Stephens family shows. William Guise of Elmore belonged to one of the oldest county families. He was accused before the committee of Gloucester of looking sorrowful at the breaking up of the siege of Gloucester, and then going into the enemy’s quarters. He said that he had armed his tenants for parliament, and sent supplies and £40 to Sir . Captain William Matthews and Captain Richard West took plate and valuables worth £200, and carried him prisoner to Gloucester, but Massey released him. Because his provisions were exhausted he went to his wife's brother in Monmouthshire. There he fell downstairs. He went to Bath to be cured of his lameness. and the king demanded a loan from him. He visited , the king’s headquarters, only to get the demand removed. The committee of Gloucester declared him a delinquent Colonel Massey in 164 7. by one vote! His son Christopher pleaded for him before the lords and commons, and got him acquitted (I I). The man who embodied Gloucester’s resistance to the king was Colonel . The Earl of Stamford appointed him EXPERIENCES OF HUMBLER FOLK govemor ofGloucester in I642. Massey defied the king in the siege The common people have not left many records. Ralph Wallis of I643. The accounts kept by Massey‘s treasurer at war, Captain carried warrants to sequester the estates of malignants. that is Thomas Blaney, reveal how the garrison had to make its own royalists. On one such mission he was captured; his wife Dorothy ammunition; there were payments to the makers of bullets and petitioned Massey. saying that he had been betrayed to the Sudeley powder, and for liquor from pigeon houses for making scouts, and been taken first to , and thence to Oxford; saltpetre (5). The story that the royalists shot an arrow into the city, she asked that he might be exchanged for a prisoner held at bearing a message urging surrender, and that the defenders shot Gloucester (I2). Thomas Blaney paid her money while her it back with a defiant reply, receives confirmation from BIaney’s husband was a prisoner. After the war a Ralph Wallis was ap- accounts; he paid for a great cross bow, for arrow heads, and for pointed to keep an English school in Trinity Church Gloucester. the bolt shot in the siege. The house of commons showed its Following the restoration an anonymous pamphlet, More News gratitude for Massey’s defence of Gloucester by voting him a from Rome, criticised the Church of England, calling the former reward of £1000 (6). Massey’s most notable victory was at Bishop Goodman a papist, denouncing pluralists, and declaring Redmarley, when he defeated Nicholas Mynne, taking 300 that the singing men of the cathedral were drunken and incom- prisoners for the loss of only three men (7). petent. The author was discovered by Giles Webley the postmaster There were two regiments in Gloucester’s garrison, the to be Ralph Wallis ; he had opened a letter addressed to Wallis. Govemor’s regiment, and the Earl of Stamford’s regiment. It is He was subsequently described as a cobbler of scurrilous wit. remarkable that the officers of the Governor’s regiment included A few individual soldiers have left a record. John Barrett, Alderman Thomas Pury, probably two more aldermen, and one corporal, was in a party that went to ; his company was or two members of the city council, besides Thomas Pury junior. put to flight, and he was left for dead; the enemy stripped him stark There was also a regiment raised by the city, commanded by naked to the very skin. This was no figure of speech, for he went Colonel Thomas Stephens, son of Edward. He claimed not to be on to say that he afterwards lay ‘bedrid under the Cyrurgions under Massey‘s authority, and caused him much vexation. Thomas hands’; he was now able to rise, but could not-for want of clothes. Stephens attempted to relieve Rowdon House near Chippenham, Massey ordered him to be paid £l (I3). which was besieged by the royalists, and then was besieged A brief life of John Freind was written by his brother Nathaniel. himself. Massey had to march to his assistance, though unsuc- They came from Westerleigh. The two brothers served in par- cessfully, and wrote tartly that independent officers promised not liament’s army at , and were taken prisoner and carried advantage, but destruction. to Oxford in I643. They were released, and John eventually Massey’s relations with the civil authorities were stormy. The became clerk in Colonel Thomas Stephens’s regiment. He was in committee of Gloucester, whose task was to find money to pay the disastrous attempt to raise the siege of Rowdon House. and was parliament’s soldiers, raised taxes without his consent. and fa- again made prisoner. After his release he rejoined his regiment at voured Colonel Stephen’s regiment. Massey believed that Thomas Woodchester; but there he died of smallpox, and was buried in the Pury was behind the committee’s obstruction. At first Massey churchyard (I4). found Pury cordial; later he complained that Pury formed a party Maimed soldiers and widows of soldiers were paid a small against him, and brought chaos by his particular ways (8). When pension by the quarter sessions, whose records sometimes said Massey left Gloucester in I645 to command the Westem Asso- where the men were in action. John Strange lost his right eye at ciation the committee sent a petition to parliament against him. The Highnam in I643. At the siege of Gloucester William Preedy was city council petitioned that he might remain. The house of maimed. and Thomas Downe was wounded in Friars’ Orchard commons resolved to hear neither petition. (where Brunswick Square now is). John Walker was wounded

5 when the parliamentarians captured Monmouth. William Jones the wheatmarket in Southgate Street. He was named as was slain at Raglan castle. William Taylor served under Colonel ‘preservator’ of the . Iron works had temporarily Stephens, and lost the use ofhis right arm. Two women lost their been suppressed in the Forest of Dean, because they consumed husbands when the men went on the state’s service to Ireland and timber; however arms were needed, and Major Wade was au- died there. Captain Blaney paid the surgeon‘s charge for Toby thorised to build a furnace and a forge. An account shows how Garbran, a matross who assisted with cannon and who was carefully he supervised this work: he made shot; he also paid for wounded by musket shot at the siege of Gloucester; and he paid fencing coppice, and for deer to stock the forest; and he sold iron, l0s. (50p) to the widow of Houlder Addams, a soldier under and made a profit (24). He showed real regard for the Forest of Captain Pury the elder, who was shot at the time of the siege, and Dean, ‘this forlom, disowned piece of ground. so much talked of, died. The husbands of Mary Birckett and Anne Morgan were slain and so little cared for’ (25), so that he must have been saddened at the siege. when he was dismissed at the restoration.

MASSEY’S LATER CAREER EXPERIENCES OF PARLIAMENTARY OFFICERS More is known ofthe officers of parliament. Captain Robert After fighting ceased new members were elected to parliament Backhouse or Bacchus was employed gathering supplies from the to fill vacancies. Edward Massey was returned for Wootton countryside. He paid to Thomas Blaney money levied on the cattle Bassett. In the dispute about what course to take with the king of Sir Ralph Dutton at Standish. William Guise of Elmore Massey was a leader of the party which wished to come to terms. When the opposing side prevailed Massey was one of the 48 complained that, although he had Massey’s protection, Backhouse seized com and hay. His men were in Gloucester at the siege, for, members purged by Colonel . He and some others when gratuities were paid to the soldiers nine months later, he was were imprisoned in St. James’s Palace. From there Massey paid £378 for his troop (I5). Sir William Vavasour, the royalist published a pamphlet. declaring that he never intended evil against commander in Gloucestershire. believed that Backhouse might his majesty’s royal person (26). Massey’s talent for escaping was betray the west gate of Gloucester, and Backhouse corresponded first displayed when he got free from St. James’s Palace; he made with him. but all the while disclosed the enemy’s plot to Massey. his way to the Netherlands about the time when Charles I was When differences antagonised Massey and the committee of executed, and presented himself to Charles II. Gloucester. Major Backhouse (as he had now become) was sent (‘.utrit'iiL ha-do 1'.un¢lai\e~u.-v 'nxIgd"_ ' ' to London to witness articles drawn up to reconcile them: among other things the city gates were to have two keys, one to be de- livered each night to the mayor, the other to the governor (I6). When Prince Rupert defeated Massey near Ledbury, Serjeant Major Bacchus was desperately wounded (I7). Captain, later Major. Edward Grey was in Lord Stamford’.s regiment. During the siege of Gloucester he led a party of mus- keteers against Kingsholm. and joined in a sortie from the north gate: he was later paid a gratuity of £440 for Lord Stamford‘s regiment (I8). He and another officer petitioned the govemment against Massey. and were told to avoid discord. Discord however got worse: Major Grey fought a duel with Major Robert 3‘ uh ' ---. :_ ---. Hammond, who killed him. This happenedjust before the march '-l"“‘8'_.'-. _.‘--..,._, to Redmarley. Hammond was later Charles I‘s gaoler at Carisbrooke. Serjeant Major Constance Ferrer was also in Lord Stamford‘s The Tower ofLondon in the seventeenth century, where Massey regiment. Before the siege of Gloucester he was said by William was imprisotted after the . Morton. royalist govemor of Sudeley castle, to be desirous of peace (I9): but his later career shows no sign of such a disposition. He Suspected at first, Massey in time won the trust of Edward was sent to give the house of commons news of the relief of Hyde (later Earl of Clarendon), the wisest of Charles Il’s coun- Gloucester, and was called into the chamber to receive the thanks sellors. He was given a command in the campaign which ended of the house. Gloucester was still in ‘dire straits’ after the siege in Charles lI’s defeat at Worcester. He was not at the battle, having (20): parliament organised a supply of 200 firelocks, powder, been wounded a few days before at Upton-upon-Severn. The match and brimstone, as well as I200 coats, pairs of shoes and Countess of Stamford, wife of his former commander, sheltered shirts. and £2200 in money. How could these be got to Gloucester him only until his wounds healed. He was then delivered to through hostile country? An am1y was needed to protect them. parliament, and put in the Tower of London. He made a second Eventually Serjeant Major Ferrer and another officer brought the escape, and rejoined the king’s friends on the continent. supplies to Gloucester in small parties (2l). During the difficult years of exile Massey was described by had at one time been named for this task. He Hyde: ‘he is a wonderful vain, weak man, but very busy and had a cousin, also called Oliver Cromwell, who was stationed in undertaking, and really, I think, means well and faithfully to the the Forest of Dean, Tewkesbury and nearby. He said that he had king’ (27). Massey exchanged letters with the Duke of Ormonde, recruited a troop at his own charge, received no horses or arms in which he vigorously defended the justice of his first engagement from the state, and lost 45 horses in the service of parliament. against King Charles I (28). When he petitioned for his arrears of £2138, the committee of After the death of Cromwell, when a rising was organised for Gloucester testified that he had behaved gallantly and honestly King Charles II, Massey was sent to Gloucestershire. Hyde wrote (22). He became major to Colonel Thomas Morgan, who suc- that, if Gloucester were defended by Massey for the king, it would ceeded Massey as govemor of Gloucester. As such he attested the look like a revolution of providence. Intercepted letters enabled good service of Comet Richard Castle at the sieges of the castles a party under Captain John Crofts to find Massey at Symond’s Hall of Berkeley. Chepstow and Raglan, so he was probably in these near Wotton-under-Edge, and capture him. He was mounted on actions himself (23). He accompanied his famous cousin to Ireland, a horse, with a stout man behind him, but during a storm made his and died at Waterford. third spectacular escape (29). After some weeks in hiding he got The successor of Colonel Morgan as governor of Gloucester back to the continent. was Sir William Constable. a Yorkshireman. He was a member The restoration of Charles ll in the event took place peacefully. of the court which condemned Charles I, and signed the death Only two months before it seemed impossible without fighting. warrant. In contrast to this grim work his apartments in Whitehall Massey returned to England, and the king appointed him to palace were adomed with tapestries of Venus and Adonis. He had command in Gloucestershire. However General George Monck a deputy govemor in Gloucester. Major John Wade. When the civil marched on London, and a new parliament was called. Massey war was over Major Wade was in charge of partly dismantling the went to Gloucester, and was elected one of its members. At last fortifications at Gloucester; he had the guard house removed from Massey received the reward promised after his defence of

6 Gloucester: the house ofcommons voted him £3000 together with I I| 3) r1 PRO, SP 28 228, no. 361. a other expenses and arrears (30). The king recognised that this l I Transactions of the and Gloucestershire Archaeo- r1 41 soldier, who had fought against his father, had nevertheless been a.ogical Society, volume I08 (I990), page I3I. a true to the cause of monarchy itself. I 5) PRO. SP 28 I29/5, page 78. I4 May, page 83, 30 May I644. .- l f77\ 6) CSPD. Charles I, volume XX, pages I86-87, I2 December REFERENCES I644. a (I) Calendar of State Papers Domestic, Charles I, volume XV, page 3 r 7) British Library, Thomasson Tracts E 281 (9). 580. 24 March I640. a f77\ 8) PRO, SP 28 I29/5, page 79, I4 May I644. a (2) Calendar of Clarendon State Papers, volume IV, page 589, 7 1t-91*/'1 BL, Additional MSS 18980, folio I00, 4 August I643. March I659/60. (20) Calendar of State Papers, Venice, volume XXVII, page 68, (3) Mr. Thomas Pury . . . his Speech upon . . . Deanes and Chapters 5 February I644. . . . I641, Gloucester City Library 5334 (I4). ([2 I) CSPD. Charles I, volume XIX, page 24, 22 February, page (4) Gloucestershire Record Office, Gloucester Borough Records, 97, 6 April I644. common council minute book, page 38 I , 31 August I646. (22) HMC, Eighth Report, Duke of Marlborough. page 8. (5) Public Record Office. SP 28 I29/5, page I2, 30 September (231I PRO, SP I9, volume I07, folio I65. I643. (24) BL, Stowe MSS I85, folio I I4, 6 November I656. (6) Commons Joumal, volume Ill, page 24l, I5 September I643. (25) CSPD. Commonwealth, volume XIII, pages 4I3-I4, l3 April (7) CSPD. Charles I, volume XIX, page 396, 4 August I644. '66|I). (8) Historical Manuscripts Commission, Portland volume III, page (26) GCL 8326 (32) A Short Declaration by Colonel Edward I37. I7 March I644/45. Massie . . . I649. (9) Glos RO, GBR. common council minute book, page 88 I , 25 I(27) State Papers collected by Edward Earl of Clarendon (I768), August I656. volume III, page I43, 20 February I652/53.

(I0) PRO. SP 28 I29/5, page 72, I8 April I644. HMC 9 Marquess of Bath II 9 page I09 9 3/l3 April I653. (l l)Glos RO, D128; Memoirs of the Family of Guise, Camden (29) Clarke Papers, volume IV, Camden Series, no. 62 (I901), Third Series, volume XXVIII (I9I7). pa8es 34-37. ( I 2) PRO. SP 28 228, no. 299. (30) CJ, volume VIII, page 215, I9 December I660.

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